Opossums

Opossums have a bad reputation, mostly due to their unhygienic and grimy appearance. They are actually an underdog and an important part of the food chain, often eating thousands of ticks per week. Nonetheless, opossums are not a critter you want near your family or pets, as they can be aggressive and are carriers of dangerous diseases. For opossum removal and trapping, call (817) 431-3007 today!

Common Opossum Problems

• Presence inside barns and outbuildings
• Attacking pets and livestock
• Food seeking behaviors under decks or patios
• Transmitting of diseases to both humans and pets

 

Getting Rid of Opossums 

Opossums do not commonly interact with people, but you may come across one in your crawlspace, under your barbeque, or in the backyard. If you're wondering how to get rid of opossums, we can help. Opossums are not usually aggressive, but they may make a mess and can spread diseases to your pets or family. They also have ticks and parasites. Diseases like leptospirosis and toxoplasmosis can be fatal. Don't worry — we offer worry-free opossum removal and trapping. Wildlife X Team offers human opossum removal to help get these animals back to the wild where they belong. 

If opossums have caused damage to your home or yard, we offer opossum damage repair. Call (817) 431-3007 today!

Do opossums hibernate?

Opossums do not hibernate in the winter, which is hard on their bodies. They face frostbite on their paws and tail, and do their best to find food. While they do not hibernate, they do choose a warm spot to stay in and often move every few weeks to avoid predators. Opossums like to stay underground or under brush. They will not dig holes themselves, they like to take over old dens from other animals. You might see opossums around your home as they look for a warm place to stay and food. You might see them in your garbage, under the shed, or around your deck. They may also squeeze into your crawlspace if it isn't properly sealed!

Where do opossums live?

Opossums are found across North America. They will live in suburban areas, forests, and large cities as they are quite adaptable. Wherever they can find food, they will go!

In the cold months, opossums live in dens they take over from other animals. They don't stay in one place too long because they are suseptible to predators, so they are frequently looking for their next place to call home. 

How to get rid of opossums

Because opossums seek food and shelters and may use your home as this source, it's important to keep an eye out for these animals. If you suspect opossom problems around your home, we offer humane opossum trapping services. Give our Wildlife X Team a call and we will safely get rid of the opossums around your home and bring them back to the wild!

If I see an opossum during the day, does it mean it has rabies?

The opossum is known to be one of the world’s mammals that do not carry rabies. Opossums are also thought to have some immunity towards the venom of certain snakes such as pit vipers and rattlesnakes. However, do not approach the animal. It may be looking for food, and you don’t want it to feel threatened as that’s when it may get aggressive.

Do opossums attack humans?

Opossums are funky looking creatures, so you may be wondering, are opossums dangerous? The opossum is an omnivorous animal and will eat almost anything that it can find; however, they are not generally dangerous to humans. Opossums mainly feed on insects, frogs, birds, snakes, small mammals, and earthworms. The opossum is also a great scavenger and will feed on leftover kills of other animals along with road-kill.

More About Opossums

• The opossum is a medium-sized animal that is found inhabiting farmland and forested areas of North America. The opossum is thought to have evolved from the basic marsupials that lived in the jungles of South America.
• The opossum is often referred to as a possum, although there is no direct link between the possums of Australia and the opossum of America. The opossum is the only species of marsupial that is found outside of Australia and its surrounding islands.
• The opossum is found inhabiting areas of grassland, farmland, and woodland in North America. The opossum is also found in urban areas where the opossum can be a pest as it feeds on rubbish and food that it finds lying around. The opossum is generally found in areas that are close to water.
• The opossum has a number of natural predators in its environment although the main predators of the opossum are birds of prey such as eagles and owls, foxes, cats, and dogs. Humans are one of the main predators of the opossum as they hunt them for meat but the opossum is also commonly killed on the roads by cars.
• As with all marsupials, the female opossum has a pouch in which it rears its young. The opossum gives birth to as many as 15 babies, which are born in just a couple of weeks. After birth, the opossum babies, crawl up into their mother’s pouch where they continue to grow and develop until they are a couple of months old.
• The opossum is an animal that is not threatened with extinction although due to deforestation and habitat loss, opossums are becoming increasingly common in urban and suburban areas.
• The opossum is found inhabiting areas of grassland, farmland, and woodland in North America. The opossum is also found in urban areas where the opossum can be a pest as it feeds on rubbish and food that it finds lying around. The opossum is an omnivorous animal and will eat almost anything that it can find.